Process for preparing alpha-substituted acetic acids



lPROCESS FOR PREPARING tat-SUBSTITUTED ACETIC ACIDS Hugh E. Ramsden, Metuchen, NJ., assignor to Metal & Thermit Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey No Drawing. Application November 28, 1955 Serial No. 549,544

6 Claims. (Cl. 260-295) This invention relates to a process of reacting organomagnesium chloride reagents with alpha haloacid derivatives and products made by this process. This application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial Number 520,144, filed July 5, 1955, now abandoned.

The organomagnesium chloride reagents employed in practicing this invention may be described as where R is an aryl group, a vinyl group or a heterocyclic group as more particularly defined below, n is an indeterminate number from 1 to 3 and Q has a value hereinafter defined. These organomagnesium chloride reagents are made by reacting the corresponding RCl with magnesium in the presence of compound Q as reaction medium. In accordance with this invention, these organomagnesium chloride reagents react with alpha haloacid derivatives to yield useful products.

Compound Q is a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic compound (having 5 or 6 atoms in the ring) containing one oxygen atom in the ring structure; the other ring atoms being carbon with the exception that one nitrogen atom may be substituted for any carbon atom other than those carbon atoms adjacent to the oxygen. The heterocyclic compounds may contain a single unsaturated bond, as in dihydropyran. Compounds within this definition include tetrahydroturan, tetrahydropyran, Z-methyltetrahydrofuran, 2-ethoxytetrahydropyran, tetrahydrofurfuryl ethyl ether, dihydropyran, dibenzofuran and N-methylmorpholine. Permissible substitutions being groups which are not reactive with organomagnesium chlorides, or with any of the other components and products of the reaction mixtures of the present process, and includes substituted and unsubstituted alkyl, aryl, alkoxy and aryloxy groups (all allowable substitutes being those unreactive to other components of the reaction mixture as specified hereinbefore). Where nitrogen replaces a carbon atom, hydrogen on the nitrogen atom must be substituted with a group unreactive to the reactants or reaction products. A further requirement for Q is that the oxygen must be available for electron donation, i.e., the free p-electrons present on the oxygen should be available for coordination with the organomagnesium chloride. Any large blocking groups in the 2 and S (6) position may restrict the availability of these electrons. Another way these electrons may be restricted in their availability is by p-pi resonance, as for example in furan, which is not operative. One double bond giving p-pi resonance, as in dihydropyran (which is operative) allows reactivity since the oxygen still has free p-electrons. Expressed in another fashion, the oxygen of the heterocyclic ring structure must be such that electrons of the oxygen atom are available for coordination and complex formation with magnesium. Since Q also apparently functions as a solvent, a Q which has a high melting point may still function in this invention, but if it is used as solvent, obviously the high melting nited States Patent 0 point (e.g., above C.) causes great difficulty in carrying out the reaction. Any liquid Q of any structure whatsoever (with the limitations specified hereinbefore) will work.

The compound Q, employed to promote reaction and to form a complex with the vinyl, heterocyclic or aryl magnesium chloride may be a simple 5 or 6 member heterocyclic compound containing one oxygen in the ring and having the requisite characteristics set forth above, e.g., tetrahydrofuran, tetrahydropyran, dihydropyran, etc. It may also be a 5 or 6 member heterocyclic compound containing one oxygen in the ring and further substituted by monovalent groups and having said characteristics, e.g., 2-methyltetrahydrofuran, 2-ethoxytetrahydrofuran, tetrahydrofurfuryl ethyl ether, N-methyl morpholine, etc. Furthermore, the compound Q may be a 5 or 6 member heterocyclic compound having one oxygen atom in the ring and substituted by polyvalent radicals to form fused ring compounds, providing that the compound has the necessary characteristics set forth above in the definition of compound Q, e.g., dibenzofuran, etc.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a process for reacting said organomagnesium chlorides with alpha haloacid derivatives to yield useful products. It is also an object of this invention to provide several new products useful in industry.

The reactions are carried out in the compound Q as reaction medium, preferably at a temperature between room temperature and the reflux temperature. Inert hydrocarbon solvent may be used as the reaction medium. However, the temperature is not particularly critical and may be even lower than room temperature.

The a-halo acid derivative which is caused to react with the organomagnesium reagent is preferably an ester or a salt. While the acid itself may be used, this is not usually desirable because reaction between the acid hydrogen and the magnesium reagent destroys a large part of the latter, forming unwanted by-products. When it is desired to produce aryl-, vinylor heterocycle-substituted carboxylic acids, it is best to make first the corresponding substituted ester or salt, employing the process of this invention, and then to convert the ester or salt to the acid by well-known hydrolytic methods.

The reaction involved in the process of this invention may be illustrated by the general equation:

where RMgCl-nQ is the organomagnesium chloride reagent previously defined, R and R" are the same or difierent and may be hydrogen or organic radicals, X is halogen and R' is an organic group or a metal. Usually the metal will be an alkali metal but almost any metal will work. It will be evident that when the metal has a valence other than 1, the formula must be modified to correspond.

ARYLMAGNESTUM CHLORIDE REAGENTS The reactions of arylmagn'esium chloride reagents with alpha halo acid derivatives in accordance with this invention may be illustrated by the following over-all equations:

nHIni-l wherein n is a small whole number, R and R" may be alkyl, aryl, alkenyl, aralkyl and hydrogen, R'" is an organic group or a metal, and wherein R is defined as:

. R wherein R R R R and R may be the same or different. substituents as long as they donot reactwith the aryh'nagnesium chloride reagent; They 'may be hydrogen; fluorine, chlorine; alkyl, such' as methyLethyl, etc.; alkenyl, such as vinyl, allyl, propenyl, etc.; aryl, such as phenyl, tolyl, xylyl, xenyl, etc; 'aralkyl, such as benzyl, phenylethyl, cinnamyl, methylbenzyl, etc.; heterocyclic, such as thienyl, thenyl, furyl, etc.; alkoxy, such as methoxy, ethoxy, allyloxy, etc.; aryloxy, suchas phenoxy, tolyloxy, xenyloxy, etc.; and dialkylamino, such as dimethylamino, diethylamino, etc. groups.

Chlorophenyl and substituted chlorophenyl magnesium chlorides react with alpha haloesters according to reactions 2 through 7, wherein X is halogen, R and R" are hydrogen or monovalent organic radicals free of groups reactive to RM'gCl, R is an organic group or a metal and R is defined in this case as:

Cl C1 C1 C1 Cl C C1 C1 C1 Cl C1 C1 C1 C1 C1 C1 Cl C 01 C1 Cl C1 Cl 01' C1 Cl 7 on 01 Ch The bond to the magnesium may be ortho, meta or para. Other groups may be present instead of ring hydrogen, including alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, alkaryl, aralkyl, fluorine, alkoxy, alkenoxy, aryloxy, dialkylamino, etc.

groups.

Bifunctional arylene di(magnesium chloride) reagents may also be reacted with alpha haloesters according to the following equations:

t8) R(MgCl) -nQ+XCH CO R' In the foregoing bifunctional arylene di(magnesium chloride) reactions, X is halogen, R and R" are hydrogen or monovalent radicals as defined above, R and R" being inert to R(MgCl) R is an organic radical or a metal, and R(MgCl) may be in general:

where the hydrogens on the ring may be replaced by any group not reactive to RMgCl, such as chlorine, fluorine, R"" R""0-, R"", etc., and where R"" is a monovalent organic radical. Two neighboring R radicals may be cyclized.

R(MgCl) may also be:

where hydrogen may be replaced as above;

where hydrogen may be replaced as above;

or R may be any other bivalent group where the bonds from carbon to magnesium are those of aromatic carbon to magnesium, where hydrogen may be replaced as described above.

@ @mcmq wherein R is naphthyl, substituted or unsubstituted.

6 r Naphthyl magnesium chloride further react with sodium chloroacetate and organic esters of chloroacetic acid to yield useful plant hormones as follows:

Heterocyclic magnesium chloride reagents, RMgCl-nQ, as defined below react with alpha haloacid derivatives according to reactions 2 through 7, wherein X is halogen, R and R" are hydrogen or monovalent organic radicals inert to RMgCl, R is hydrogen, an organic radical or a metal, n is a small whole number, Q is as previously defined, and R is a radical which includes in its structure an oxygen, sulfur or tertiary nitrogen heterocycle, its bond to magnesium being through a carbon of an aromatic or pseudoaromatic ring.

Among the types of heterocyclic groups, R, which may be employed in reactions such as Nos. 2 through 7 are those shown in the following structural formulas in which a free bond indicates the point .of attachment of the MgCl group except that when two free bonds are shown in one structure they represent alternative points of attachment. In these structures any or all hydrogens in the molecules may be replaced by fluorine, chlorine, alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, alkoxy, aryloxy or other groups not reactive to RMgCl. Two adjacent substituents may be linked or iii (It ll Benzopyrimidyl Thiazolyl Benzothiazolyl Tria'zinyls Pyrazinyl Pyridazinyl Bifunctional heterocyclic di(magnesium chlorides), R(MgCl) -nQ in which R is a divalent radical which includes in its structure an oxygen, sulfur or tertiary nitrogen heterocycle, its bonds to magnesium being through carbon atom of aromatic or pseudoaromatic rings, react with alpha halo acid derivatives inaccordance with reactions8, 9. and 10; the definitions of X, R, R", R are the same as given forithose reactions.

VINYL MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE REAGENTS In this application, the term vinyl radical refers to the vinyl group or to substituted vinyl groups. Thus,

a vinyl chloride has the general formula:

where R, R" and R' may be the same or different and may he hydrogen or any hydrocarbon group, aliphatic or aromatic; they may also be hydrocarbon groups with functional group substituents provided that the latter are inert to magnesium and to vinyl magnesium chloride; R may be cyclized with R or R as, for example, in the compound CHFQH CCl where R, R"-and R' areasdefined above.

Similarly, in a vinyl dimagnesium chloride reagent, R(MgCl) -nQ, R represents the bivalent group V C=O Vinyl magnesuim chloride reagents, RMgCl-nQ, as defined above, react with alpha halo acid derivatives according to reactions 2 through 7 where R, R", R'", n, Q and X are as defined originally for these reactions. The reactions may be illustrated more specifically by the following reactions employing the vinyl magnesium chloride. 7

Furthermore, the vinyl dimagnesium chloride reagent R(MgCl) -nQ as previously defined reacts in accordance with reactions 8, 9 and 10, X, R, R" and R being as defined for those reactions.

The following examples are further illustrative of the present invention. It is to be understood, however, that this invention is not restricted thereto.

Example 1 Vinylmagnesium chloridecomplex (oneirnole) intetrahydrofuran is added slowly with stirring to a'r'efluxin'g solution of one mole of ethyl bromoacetate in tetrahydrofuran. After the addition is completed, reflux is continued for 2 or 3 hours. The mixture is then cooled and 200 ml. of cold water, with 5l0 ml. of concentrated hydrochloric acid in it, is added with external cooling (the mixture is stirred vigorously). The layers are separated, the aqueous layer being extracted twice with 50 ml. portions of benzene,'the extracts combined with the organic layer, and the organic layer is then stripped of solvent and the ethyl 3-butenoate separated from the ethyl bromoacetate by fractional distillation. There will also be present some products from the reaction of the Vinylmagnesium chloride with the ester group, but these do not interfere with the. separation.

Example 2 By the process of example 1, Vinylmagnesium chloride and ethyl a-chlorodiethylacetate yield ethyl a-vinyl egocdiethylacetate. Vacuum fractionation was substituted for fractional distillation in the separation step.

Example 3 Example 4 Phenylmagnesium chloride by the process of Example 2 yields with ethyl bromoacetate ethyl phenylacetate.

Example 5 Phenylmagnesium chloride and ethyl vchloroacetate yield ethyl phenylacetate by the processof Example 2.

Example 6 '6 One mole of phenylmagnesium chloride-tetrahydrofuran complex in excess tetrahydrofuran is added slowly to a refluxing suspension of one mole of sodium chloroacetate in tetrahydrofuran. After addition is complete the mixture is refluxed for 3 hours,-cooled, and added to a cooled'mixture of 250 ml. of cold water and 1.1

moles of concentrated hydrochloric acid. The layers are separated and the organic layer is stripped of solvent (by distillation) 'to' leave a residue of phenylacetic" acid. It may be further purified by recrystallization from a 176 suitable solvent such-as wat'enalcohol-water, etc.

Example 7 Phenylmagnesium chloride and ethyl or bromopropionate by the process of Example 2, substituting methylllllllllflllllllllllll lllllllllllllllllll, Ylilfl till Mill 1' Example 9 By the process of Example 6, 2 moles of phenylmagnesium chloride and one mole of sodium dichloroacetate yield diphenylacetic acid.

Example 10 By the process of Example 6, p-chlorophenylmagnesium chloride yields p-chlorophenylacetic acid.

Example 11 By the process of Example 9, p-chlorophenylmagnesium chloride yields di(pchlorophenyl) acetic acid.

Example 12 By the process of Example 2, o-tolylmagnesium chloride and ethyl chloroacetate yield ethyl o-tolylacetate.

Example 13 Ethyl a. chlorophenylacetate and m-tolylmagnesium chloride by the process of Example 2 yield ethyl a-m-tolyla-phenylacetate.

Example 14 p-Tolylmagnesium chloride used in the process of Example 9 yields di-p-tolylacetic acid.

Example 15 Ethyl chloroacetate and p-anisylmagnesium chloride yield by the process of Example 2 ethyl p-anisylacetate.

Example 16 Sodium a bromostearate and p-phenetylmagnesium chloride by the process of Example 6 yield a-p-phenetylstearic acid.

Example 17 Dichlorophenylmagnesium chloride (from 1,2,4 trichlorobenzene) and ethyl chloroacetate by the process of Example 2 yield ethyl-a-dichloropheuylacetate.

Example 18 Trichlorophenylmagnesium chloride (from 1,2,4,5 tetrachlorobenzene) and ethyl a-bromopropionate by the process of Example 2 yield ethyl a-trichloropheuylacetate.

Example 19 Tetrachlorophenylmagnesium chloride (from pentachlorobenzene) and sodium cc bromostearate by the process of Example 6 yield a tetrachlorophenylstearic acid.

Example 20 Pentachlorophenylmagnesium chloride and ethyl or. chloro-a-phenylacetate by the process of Example 2 yield ethyl n: pentachlorophenyl a-pheuylacetate. Molecular distillation is necessary in place of vacuum fractionation.

Example 21 Ethyl chloroacetate and 2-m-xylylmagnesium chloride (from 2 chloro-m-xylene) by the process of Example 2 yield ethyl 2-m-xylylacetate.

Example 22 Biphenylylmagnesium chloride and ethyl chloroacetate by the process of Example 2 yield ethyl biphenylylacetate.

10 Example 23 Trichlorobiphenylylmagnesium chloride and ethyl chloroacetate by the process of Example 2 yield ethyl l l lllwill. MOltlllll distillation is loc ficial for purification.

Example 24 Nonachlorobiphenylylmagnesium chloride and sodium a bromostearate by the process of Example 6 yields a. nonachlorobiphenylylstearic acid.

Example 25 o-Trifiuoromethylphenylmagnesium chloride and ethyl a 2 chloro a-phenylacetate by the process of Example 23 yield ethyl a-o-trifluoromethylphenyl-a-phenylacetate.

Example 26 Ethyl chloroacetate and p-dimethylaminophenylmagnesium chloride by the process of Example 2 yield ethyl p-dimethylamiriophenylacetate.

Example 27 Use of ethyl or chloro-a-phenylacetate in Example 26 yields ethyl a phenyl-e-p-dimethylaminophenylacetate.

Example 28 Use of p-diethylaminophenylmagnesium chloride in Example 26 yields ethyl p-diethylaminophenylacetate.

Example 29 Use of p-diethylaminophenylmagnesium chloride and sodium 0: bromostearate in the process of Example 6 yield a-p-diethylaminophenylstearic acid.

Example 30 Chlorotolylmagnesium chloride (from 2,4 dichlorotoluene) and sodium chloroacetate in the process of Example 6 yield chlorotolylacetic acid.

Example 31 Chloroanisylmagnesium chloride and ethyl n: chloro-a phenylacetate by the process of Example 2 yield ethyl a chloroanisyl a-phenylacetate.

Example 32 Chlorophenetylmagnesium chloride and sodium dichloroacetate by the process of Example 9 yield bis chlorophenetylacetic acid.

' Example 33 Ethyltetrachlorophenylmagnesium chloride and sodium chloroacetate by the process of Example 6 yield ethyl- -tetrachlorophenylacetic acid.

Example 34 'Ihienylmagnesium chloride and ethyl chloroacetate yield by the process of Example 2, ethyl a thienylacetate.

Example 35 By the process of Example 6, a thienylmagnesium chloride yields a thienylacetic acid.

Example 36 By the process of Example 2, a thienylmagnesium chloride yields ethyl a-thienyl a, a diethylacetate.

Example 37 By the process of Example 8, a thienylmagnesium chloride yields a-a thienylstearic acid.

Example 38 Sodium a bromodiphenylacetate and e thienylmagnesium chloride yield a-a thienyldiphenylacetic acid by the process of Example 6.

I 1 Example 39 'Ethyl chloroacetate and u-pyridylmagnesium chloride by the process of Example 2 yield aepyridylacetate.

Example 40 Ethyl chloroacetate and u-furylmagnesium chloride by the process of Example 2 yield ethyl a-furylacetate.

Example 41 Ethyl chloroacetate and '5-chlorothienylmagnesium chloride (from 2,5-dichlorothiophene) yield, by the process of Example 2, ethyl S-chlorothienylacetate.

Example 42 Example 43 Sodium chloroacetate and 2-benzothiazolylmagnesium chloride ..by the process of. Example 6'- yield 2-benzothiazolylacetic' acid. I

Example 44 Use of. 2-benzoxazolylmagnesium chloride in Example 43' yields 2 benzoxaz'olylacetic acid.

7 Example 45 Ethyl chloroacetate and 2 methyl-S-benzothiazolylmagnesium chloride in the process of Example 2, yield ethyl a-(Z-methyLS-benzothiazolyl) acetate.

Example 46 By the process of Example 6, Z-quinolylmagnesium chlorideyields Z-quinolylacetic acid.

Example 47 By the process of Example 8, 6-quinolylmaguesium chloride yields a-6-quinolylstearic' acid.

Example 48 By the process of Example 23,8-quinolinylmaguesium chloride and ethyl-m-chloro-a-phenylacetate yield ethyla-8-quinolyinyl-a-phenylacetate;

V 7 Example 49 V Bythe' process of Example 2, l-cycl'ohexen-l-ylma'gnesium chloride and ethyl chloroacetate yieldethyl-a-lcyclohexen-l-ylacetate. V

. 7' Example 50 Use of 4-methyl-l-penten-Z-ylmagnesium chloride in Example 49 yields ethyl-a-(4-methyl-l-penten-Z-yl) acetate.

. Example 51 By the process of Example 2, 4m'ethy1 l-penten-2- ylmagnesium chloride and ethyl-a-bromopropionate yield ethyl-a-(4-methyl-1-penten-2-yl)propionate Example 52 By the process of Example 6, 4-methyl-l-penten-2- ylmagnesium chloride and sodium abromostearate yield a-(4-methyl-l-pentenQ-yl) stearic acid.

Example 53 .By the process of Examp1e2, 2-propen-2-ylmagnesium chloride and ethyl chloroacetate yield ethyl 2-propen-2- ylacetate (3-methyl-3-butenoate).

Example""54 By the processor Example 2, Z' prOpen Z-yImagns'Ium chloride and ethyl chloroacetateyield ethyl 2-prop'en-2 ylacetate (3-methyl-3-butenoate).

12 Example 55 By the process of Example 2, l-propen-l-ylmagnesium chloride and ethyl oc-chloro-a-phenylacetate yield ethyl 2- phenyl-3-pentenoate.

Example 56 Use of 2-buten-2-ylmagnesium chloride in Example 55 yields ethyl 3-methyl-3 -pentenoate.

Example 57 Ethyl 3-hexenoate results from the use of l-buten-lylmagnesium chloride in Example 56.

Example 58 By the process of Example 7, l-buten-l-ylmagnesium chloride yields ethyl 2-methyl-3-hexenoate.

Example 59 Example 60 By the process of Example 2, p-vinylphenylmagnesium chloride and ethyl chloracetate yield ethyl p-vinylphenylacetate. v g y Example 61 By the process of- -Example 2, -p-vinylphenylmagnesium chloride and ethyl a-bromopropionate yield ethyl a-pvinylphenylpropionate.

Example 62 By the process of Example 3, p-vinylphenylmagnesium chloride yields ethyl a-phenyl-a-p-vinylphenylacetate.

Throughoutthe application it is specified that the reactive compound is RMgCl-nQ. This is so in the equations illustrative of the process and of the materials used in the examples. It is necessary that the RMgCl compound be formed in the presence of compound Q. However, the process of thep'r'esent invention is not dependent upon RMgCl being present in the form of the Q complex (RMgCl-nQ). The illustrative equations herein may also be written with RMgCl in place of RMgCl-nQ and could be read with RMgCl as an alternative reactant to RMgCl-nQ.

The products of the present invention, for example, the acids and esters, are'useful as perfume ingredients, as plasticizers or, in the case of the acids, as plasticizer intermediates, and as specialized solvents. Those containing the vinyl group are useful as comonomers for copolymerization withmonomers such as styrene, vinyl chloride, butadiene, etc., to form interesting specialty resins and elastomers. Those compounds containing the dialkylamino groups maybe quaternized to form interesting cationoid detergents and germicides as may also those with tertiary nitrogen, such as thepyridyl, quinolyl, benzothiazolyl, benzoxalyl, etc. derivatives.

Several of the compounds have use as fireproofing plasticizers, particularly the esters containing highly chlorinated phenyl and biphenylyl groups. Some have strong antibacterial activity.

Phenylacetic acid and esters are useful in culture media of penicillium notatum as precursors for penicillin productions. The substituted phenylacetic compounds have similar uses.

Many of of the esters and acids in particular, a or 5 'naphthylacetic have strong growth regulator powers for What is claimed is:

1. A process for preparing an a-substituted acetic acid which comprises reacting a compound selected from the class consisting of ethyl bromoacetate, ethyl-a-chlorodiethylacetate, ethyl-a-chloro-a-phenylacetate, ethyl chloroacetate, ethyl-a-bromoproprionate, sodium chloroacetate, sodium-a-bromostearate, sodium dichloroacetate and sodium-u-bromodiphenylacetate, with an organomagnesium chloride in the presence of compound Q; said organomagnesium chloride being prepared by reacting an organic chloride of the formula RCl, wherein R is selected from the class consisting of aryl, vinyl and aromaticheterocyclic radicals with magnesium in compound Q; wherein said compound Q is selected from the class consisting of tetrahydrofuran, tetrahydropyran, Z-ethoxy ten'ahydropyran, dihydropyran, tetrahydrofurfuryl ethyl ether and Z-methyl tetrahydrofuran; and wherein said aromatic-heterocyclic radical is selected from the class consisting of N-methyl-Z-pyrryl, 2-quinolyl, -quinolyl,

S-quinolyl, Z-methyI-S-benzothiazolyl, 2-benzoxazolyl, Z-benzothiazolyl, 5 chlorothienyl, a-furyl, a-pyridyl and thienyl.

2. The process according to claim 1 in which R is the vinyl radical.

3. The process according to claim 1 in which R is the pyriclyl radical.

4. The process according to claim 1 in which R is an aryl radical.

5. The process according to claim 1 in which Q is tetrahydrofuran.

6. The process according to claim 4 in which the aryl radical is the phenyl radical.

References Cited in the file of this patent Helv. Chim. Acta, vol. 26, 1943, pp. 2251-52.

Kharasch: Grignard Reactions of Non-Metallic Substances, 1952, pp. 731, 873, 595, 950.

Fieser et al.: Org. Chem., Reinhold PubL, 1950, p. 135. 

1. A PROCESS FOR PREPARING AN A-SUBSTITUTED ACETIC ACID WHICH COMPRISES REACTING A COMPOUND SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF ETHYL BROMOACETATE, ETHYL-A-CHLORODIETHYLACETATE, ETHYL-A-CHLORO-A-PHENYLACETATE, ETHYL CHLOROACETATE, ETHYL-A-BROMOPROPRIONATE, SODIUM CHLOROACETATE, SODIUM-A-BROMOSTEARATE, SODIUM DICHLOROACETATE AND SODIUM-A-BROMODIPHENYLACETATE, WITH AN ORGANOMAGNESIUM CHLORIDE IN THE PRESENCE OF COMPOUND Q, SAID ORGANOMAGNESIUM CHLORIDE BEING PREPARED BY REACTING AN ORGANIC CHLORIDE OF THE FORMULA RCL, WHEREIN R IS SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF ARYL, VINYL AND AROMATICHETEROCYCLIC RADICALS WITH MAGNESIUM IN COMPOUND Q, WHEREIN SAID COMPOUND Q IS SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF TETRAHYDROFURAN, TETRAHYDROPYRAN, 2-ETHOXY TETRAHYDROPYRAN, DIHYDROPYRAN, TETRAHYDROFURFURYL ETHYL ETHER AND 2-METHYL TETRAHYDROFURAN, AND WHEREIN SAID AROMATIC-HETEROCYCLIC RADICAL IS SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF N-METHYL-2-PYRRYL, 2-QUINOLYL, 6-QUINOLYL, 8-QUINOLYL, 2-METHYL-2BENZOTHIAZOLYL, 2-BENZOXAZOLYL, 2-BENZOTHIAZOLY, 5 CHLOROTHIENYL, A-FURYL, A-PYRIDYL AND THIENYL.
 3. THE PROCESS ACCORDING TO CLAIM 1 IN WHICH R IS THE PYRIDYL RADICAL. 